Liverpool’s Liam McCracken maintained his unbeaten professional record in a comfortable victory against Harry Shaw at FCC 31.
The victory takes McCracken’s professional record to three wins and zero losses after already beating Matthieu Moya and Emanuel Manoisas this year.
The 21-year-old, who is a product of Liverpool’s Aspire Combat Sports Academy, was set to face off against another foreign import in his latest fight in the form of Italy’s Pietro Micelli. However, a last-minute change of plan meant he went up against Shaw instead in the co-main event at the Olympia.
This was Shaw’s professional debut, and it showed. From the outset, it seemed like the more experienced McCracken was in control, landing strikes on his opponent within the first few seconds of the bout.
The Merseyside native continued to turn the pressure up, connecting with a stiff right hand moments later that almost knocked Shaw out, sending him to the floor.
From there, McCracken controlled the grapple to lay some vicious elbow strikes, but to Shaw’s credit, he hung in and managed to get himself back to his feet.
However, there would be little respite for the debutant. McCracken forced him onto the ground once more, but this time he successfully locked in a rear naked choke and secured a submission victory three minutes and 22 seconds into the first round.
It was a fantastic performance from the Aspire fighter, who looked like he could have finished the fight in a multitude of ways in a victory that never looked to be in any real doubt.
However, while McCracken will be delighted to add another win to his professional tally, he rather understandably voiced his frustration at the end of the fight regarding the last-minute nature of the bout.
Any fighter would be happy with a first-round win, but the Liverpool man will surely want to face fighters with more experience from here on, as facing off against debutant fighters isn’t likely to do much for his professional development.
This is no slight on Shaw, who deserves enormous credit for stepping up to face somebody like McCracken on such short notice.
And it is no fault of McCracken’s either. The Liverpudlian has spoken previously of his annoyance at the lack of fighters who have been willing to face off against him.
Heading into the new year, the flyweight and his camp will no doubt be desperate to secure fights that will prove to be more of a challenge for the burgeoning star.
